Advice
by Min Daae
Summary: Subtitled: Sokka is bad at it, and starring Zuko.


The first time Zuko flopped down next to him, Sokka jumped and almost hit him with his boomerang. Leftover reflexes. Then Zuko sighed and leaned his face forward into his hands. "Your sister," he announced, "Is really scary."

"Only when she's mad," Sokka said, and when he could feel Zuko just _look _at him, he amended, "Which I guess she kind of is all the time, for you."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed. "No kidding." And he rested his chin on his knees.

Feeling the urge to defend his sister, Sokka commented, "Well, she has a point. You did kind of spend most of the last year chasing us hither and yon setting things on fire."

"You think I don't _know _that?" Zuko blew out, hard. "I thought you people weren't supposed to hold grudges."

"Common misconception," Sokka said, "We're actually pretty good at it. And Katara's a pro."

"Lucky me." Zuko's mouth twisted downward, and he crossed his arms more tightly, looking even more gloomy than usual.

"Yep," Sokka agreed cheerfully. "Lucky you." Zuko shot him a glare and then looked away. The silence stretched out awkwardly until Sokka spoke up again. "Why are you here, anyway? I'm the last person to ask for help with my sister."

Zuko stared. "How can you say that? She's _your _sister, isn't she?"

"Yeah, that doesn't mean she makes any sense to me. Or that I know how to get on her good side. If there's anyone to ask it should probably be Aang. She never seems to get mad at him."

"Oh, sure," Zuko said, flatly, "Ask the Avatar. Sounds like a great idea, not awkward at all. I'll just do that. He's _twelve._"

"One hundred and twelve, actually," Sokka said airily, and then seemed to catch on to what had really been said. "Wait, wait, wait. You mean you're-"

Zuko threw up his hands. "I just _thought _if anyone might know something about – girls it'd be you."

"Are you _macking on _my _sister?_" Sokka cried, outraged, and was rewarded with a bewildered stare from Princess Zuko.

"…what the hell does 'macking on' mean?" Zuko blinked, once. "Is that some kind of weird Water Tribe…thing?"

"I thought you had a girlfriend," Sokka groused, and turned away. "I'm not going to help you with – 'girl troubles' that involve my sister."

"I'm not trying to go _out _with her!" Zuko said, sounding outrageously indignant. "Why would I want to? I told you, she's _scary._"

"Yeah," Sokka agreed, vehemently, "And she'd never go out with you! She has better standards than that and – wait, _what _did you say about my sister? Is she not _good _enough for you or something?"

"You're blowing this out of all proportion! Would you just _listen _for once? I'm _not _trying to get on your sister's good side so I can go out with her! I'm just trying to figure out how to make sure that she's not going to kill me in my sleep."

"Katara wouldn't kill you in your sleep," Sokka said sagely. "She'd wait until you were awake."

"Not _helpful,_" Zuko snarled, jerking to his feet and pacing back and forth. "Do you know how hard this is? I'm pretty sure sometimes that _Appa _is the only one of you people I can actually get along with!"

Sokka blinked, and fell silent. He slid his eyes cautiously sideways to look at the firebender next to him, and found him with his arms crossed, looking the other way and seeming just about to start smoking. He looked cranky (as usual), sullen (also as usual) and angry (again), but also maybe – lonely?

He remembered what Katara had said. _He started talking about his mother, making it seem like he was an actual human being with feelings. _Or Toph: _I'm beginning to wonder who's really the blind one around here. _

Huh.

"Hey," he said, after a second, "So you're really not going to try to hit on my sister?"

"No," Zuko said, sourly. "I'd settle for her not hating me."

"Katara doesn't hate things," Sokka objected. "I mean, she might loathe some things, but she doesn't really hate anything. Except the – oh. Right."

"Yeah," Zuko agreed sourly. "Right."

There was another long and somewhat awkward silence. "Uh," Sokka tried, tentatively. "You could try not being so cranky all the time." Zuko glared, the perpetually narrowed left eye only making it look fiercer.

"It's not like I'm _trying _to be angry."

"Yeah, I guess it is pretty effortless." Sokka glanced at his toes. "You could apologize. I mean, for stealing her necklace and attacking our home and hunting Aang and the whole thing in Ba Sing Se-"

"I'd be apologizing forever," Zuko interrupted. "Besides, I tried that. I hardly got anything out before she went all 'waterbending pow' on me!"

Sokka nearly choked. "Waterbending what?"

Zuko flushed. "Never mind, you know what I-"

"Waterbending pow," Sokka said, trying not to snicker. "I wish I could see her face if she heard that…"

"Don't tell her," said Zuko hurriedly. "_Please _don't. I don't think she needs any more reasons to have it completely in for me." He paused. "What's wrong with that, anyway?"

"I think it's a thing with benders," Sokka mused. "Something about proper respect, or something. I mean, you looked like breathing fire over the whole jerkbending thing. Which I still think is pretty funny."

"I thought," Zuko said through suddenly gritted teeth, "We were talking about your _sister._ Not your questionable sense of humor."

"Right," Sokka said, though he couldn't keep the grin of satisfaction off his face. "My sister. Uh. Like I said, I'm probably not the best person to ask. She's always a little mad at me. Little sisters, am I right?"

"My little sister," Zuko said sourly, "Would really like me to be dead."

"Oh yeah," Sokka said, recognition dawning. "That's right…I'd think you'd be used to scary little sisters. Yours pretty much takes the cake."

"Tell me about it." Zuko put his forehead against his knees. "You suck at giving advice, you know that?"

"Like I said, ask Aang. She's never mad at him. No idea why."

"He's cute," Zuko said sourly. "That's why. It's that goddamn grin."

"Yeah," Sokka agreed reluctantly. "Probably. And sorry, but if there's anything you won't ever be, it's cute."

"Thanks." Zuko breathed out through his mouth, a little plume of fire. "Thanks very much, oh wise Sokka."

"No problem," Sokka said innocently, and on an impulse reached out and shoved his companion's shoulder. "Come on. Appa's not a bad best friend to have."

Zuko slapped Sokka's hand down without even looking. "Shut up."

"I mean it! I mean, he's big, fuzzy, and likes just about anyone. What's not to like?"

"You're still not helping." Zuko glowered fiercely sideways. "Likes just about everyone, even Fire Nation, right?"

"You know," Sokka said thoughtfully, "Sometimes I think you _like _sulking. I mean, why else would you do it when everyone else has stopped thinking about it? –except Katara. But she's – you know. Special."

"Yeah," Zuko said dryly. "I'll say. Special." He paused. "And what do you mean, when everyone else has stopped thinking about it?"

Sokka shrugged. "Toph never cared. I think she might even like you, and that's a feat. Aang likes everyone. Kind of like Appa, really – and besides, you're teaching him. Katara – we already covered Katara. Everyone else is everyone else."

"What about you?" Zuko challenged. "You're part of – whatever you call yourselves."

"Team Avatar," Sokka said proudly. "I came up with it myself. And yeah, I am. But I thought that was obvious."

"Not obvious to me," Zuko said, sourly. "It was your village too, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, and you did kick me around a little." Sokka frowned. "Never got back at you for that. But hey." He grinned and pretended it wasn't tentative. "I'm here, aren't I?" Zuko blinked for a moment, seeming surprised.

"I…guess…"

Sokka grinned. "Well then. There you go."

It was a little bit of a lie. But only a little, and it was a small price to pay for actually seeing the firebender next to him try to smile, like his face wasn't quite familiar with the gesture (which it probably wasn't) and he didn't quite know how to make it. All of which made for a somewhat awkward, dorky smile. Sokka decided not to tell him.

"See? You're getting better already. Although…" He paused. "Don't they teach you how to smile in the Fire Nation?"

All right. So he'd changed his mind? What of it. It was worth it, for the look on Zuko's face, for the way his sister yelled at both of them for _playing with fire _and _wandering off who knows where _and the way Zuko looked like cringing when Katara wheeled on him with an extended finger and said "And _you!_" And then was unable to get any more words out, mouth opening and closing with rage.

Yep, that made it all worth it.

Especially the part where he knew Zuko would try to kick his ass later on. And this time, Sokka would be ready for him.


End file.
